Mywarmemories19481918
Item Preview
Share or Embed This Item
Flag this item for
- Addeddate
- 2003-11-21 10:08:02
- Collectionid
- MyWarMemories19481918
- Identifier
- MyWarMemories19481918
- Identifier-ark
- ark:/13960/t8fg1mw67
- Numeric_id
- 73994
- Ocr
- ABBYY FineReader 11.0 (Extended OCR)
- Ppi
- 600
- Public_date
- 2003-11-21 10:08:02
- Scanningcentre
- Ccl,Hyderabad
- Type
- Text
comment
Reviews
Reviewer:
gallowglass
-
favoritefavoritefavorite -
November 11, 2019
Subject: Deflecting the blame
Half a book is not something easy to assess, and in any case, if I’d had the choice, I would have gone for the second part of Ludendorff’s war-memoirs, not the first. How much more fun to have heard him wriggling off the hook, as he tried to explain away Germany’s defeat, largely caused by his own vacillations and sometimes hysterical mood-swings.
Instead we get the more flattering half of the story, beginning with his astonishing double-knockout in the first month. Capturing the key Belgian city of Liège, of which he had particular local knowledge. Then defeating a whole Russian army so decisively that its commander went off into the woods and shot himself.
In the second case, he had just been joined by Hindenburg, brought out of retirement to supervise him, and together they would make a legendary team. Ludendorff, the brilliant staff officer who had shown how to fight on two fronts at once, but too emotional and indecisive to make a good leader. And Hindenburg the big, steady rock-like figure that the public still worshipped long after he’d lost the war.
As the author admits, he rushed-off these memoirs as soon as the whistle went, so they were ready to appear early in 1919. And in this centenary year of 2019, we need to remember how vividly the original readership, perhaps still recovering from frostbite or trench fever, would respond to names like Częstochowa or Przemysl, or references to the 36th Reserve Division of the 9th Army, that just mean nothing to the rest of us. So the book will hardly justify reading in its entirety, as most of it just takes the form of a sequential battle-diary of the vast, unfamiliar Eastern Front.
Most, but not all. The one advantage of the first half is that you also get the preface thrown in - which was, of course, the last part to be written. And here we pick up a fascinating little glimpse of what was in the pipeline. For among this long drone of excuses for Germany’s dwindling fortunes while he was in the chair, we are hearing the first stirrings of the stab-in-the-back myth (Dolchstoßlegende), a phrase originally uttered in autumn 1919 as a joke by a British officer lunching with none other than… Erich Ludendorff!
Subject: Deflecting the blame
Half a book is not something easy to assess, and in any case, if I’d had the choice, I would have gone for the second part of Ludendorff’s war-memoirs, not the first. How much more fun to have heard him wriggling off the hook, as he tried to explain away Germany’s defeat, largely caused by his own vacillations and sometimes hysterical mood-swings.
Instead we get the more flattering half of the story, beginning with his astonishing double-knockout in the first month. Capturing the key Belgian city of Liège, of which he had particular local knowledge. Then defeating a whole Russian army so decisively that its commander went off into the woods and shot himself.
In the second case, he had just been joined by Hindenburg, brought out of retirement to supervise him, and together they would make a legendary team. Ludendorff, the brilliant staff officer who had shown how to fight on two fronts at once, but too emotional and indecisive to make a good leader. And Hindenburg the big, steady rock-like figure that the public still worshipped long after he’d lost the war.
As the author admits, he rushed-off these memoirs as soon as the whistle went, so they were ready to appear early in 1919. And in this centenary year of 2019, we need to remember how vividly the original readership, perhaps still recovering from frostbite or trench fever, would respond to names like Częstochowa or Przemysl, or references to the 36th Reserve Division of the 9th Army, that just mean nothing to the rest of us. So the book will hardly justify reading in its entirety, as most of it just takes the form of a sequential battle-diary of the vast, unfamiliar Eastern Front.
Most, but not all. The one advantage of the first half is that you also get the preface thrown in - which was, of course, the last part to be written. And here we pick up a fascinating little glimpse of what was in the pipeline. For among this long drone of excuses for Germany’s dwindling fortunes while he was in the chair, we are hearing the first stirrings of the stab-in-the-back myth (Dolchstoßlegende), a phrase originally uttered in autumn 1919 as a joke by a British officer lunching with none other than… Erich Ludendorff!
20,486 Views
8 Favorites
DOWNLOAD OPTIONS
HTML
Uplevel BACK
12.3K
00000001.htm download
14.0K
00000002.htm download
14.4K
00000003.htm download
23.3K
00000004.htm download
14.6K
00000006.htm download
13.6K
00000007.htm download
11.6K
00000009.htm download
14.5K
00000010.htm download
16.2K
00000011.htm download
12.7K
00000012.htm download
12.5K
00000013.htm download
13.2K
00000014.htm download
12.3K
00000015.htm download
12.7K
00000016.htm download
11.9K
00000017.htm download
12.7K
00000018.htm download
13.3K
00000019.htm download
16.9K
00000020.htm download
14.8K
00000021.htm download
13.6K
00000022.htm download
12.3K
00000023.htm download
13.0K
00000024.htm download
13.1K
00000025.htm download
13.4K
00000026.htm download
17.1K
00000027.htm download
13.3K
00000028.htm download
12.9K
00000029.htm download
13.0K
00000030.htm download
10.5K
00000033.htm download
12.3K
00000034.htm download
10.5K
00000035.htm download
10.6K
00000036.htm download
10.5K
00000037.htm download
12.9K
00000038.htm download
10.8K
00000039.htm download
10.9K
00000040.htm download
10.8K
00000041.htm download
12.9K
00000042.htm download
14.5K
00000043.htm download
11.7K
00000044.htm download
12.1K
00000045.htm download
11.1K
00000046.htm download
12.7K
00000047.htm download
10.8K
00000048.htm download
13.6K
00000049.htm download
11.1K
00000050.htm download
12.7K
00000053.htm download
13.8K
00000054.htm download
12.4K
00000055.htm download
12.9K
00000056.htm download
12.9K
00000057.htm download
14.7K
00000058.htm download
12.7K
00000059.htm download
13.2K
00000060.htm download
17.4K
00000061.htm download
16.8K
00000062.htm download
12.7K
00000063.htm download
12.8K
00000064.htm download
27.0K
00000065.htm download
13.1K
00000066.htm download
12.8K
00000067.htm download
11.3K
00000068.htm download
12.9K
00000069.htm download
12.7K
00000070.htm download
12.8K
00000071.htm download
14.1K
00000072.htm download
14.4K
00000073.htm download
12.3K
00000074.htm download
12.3K
00000075.htm download
12.5K
00000076.htm download
13.7K
00000077.htm download
13.3K
00000078.htm download
18.0K
00000079.htm download
11.0K
00000080.htm download
16.2K
00000081.htm download
12.9K
00000082.htm download
12.2K
00000083.htm download
11.9K
00000084.htm download
13.0K
00000086.htm download
11.3K
00000087.htm download
12.8K
00000088.htm download
10.8K
00000089.htm download
11.4K
00000090.htm download
19.2K
00000091.htm download
12.9K
00000092.htm download
18.4K
00000093.htm download
18.4K
00000094.htm download
12.9K
00000095.htm download
11.2K
00000096.htm download
14.8K
00000097.htm download
12.3K
00000098.htm download
14.6K
00000099.htm download
11.5K
00000100.htm download
14.9K
00000101.htm download
12.8K
00000102.htm download
10.9K
00000103.htm download
14.8K
00000104.htm download
12.8K
00000105.htm download
13.4K
00000106.htm download
13.4K
00000107.htm download
13.0K
00000108.htm download
14.8K
00000109.htm download
12.7K
00000110.htm download
15.2K
00000111.htm download
12.6K
00000112.htm download
15.1K
00000113.htm download
12.8K
00000114.htm download
11.9K
00000115.htm download
13.4K
00000116.htm download
11.2K
00000117.htm download
15.0K
00000118.htm download
11.8K
00000119.htm download
13.2K
00000120.htm download
10.8K
00000121.htm download
12.5K
00000122.htm download
11.0K
00000123.htm download
15.2K
00000124.htm download
10.9K
00000125.htm download
13.3K
00000126.htm download
10.0K
00000127.htm download
12.8K
00000128.htm download
13.4K
00000129.htm download
12.8K
00000130.htm download
12.3K
00000131.htm download
12.9K
00000132.htm download
12.8K
00000133.htm download
14.2K
00000134.htm download
13.9K
00000135.htm download
12.9K
00000136.htm download
12.4K
00000137.htm download
12.7K
00000138.htm download
12.9K
00000139.htm download
12.9K
00000140.htm download
12.8K
00000141.htm download
16.5K
00000142.htm download
12.9K
00000143.htm download
14.9K
00000144.htm download
14.7K
00000145.htm download
12.5K
00000146.htm download
12.9K
00000147.htm download
12.4K
00000148.htm download
12.7K
00000149.htm download
16.6K
00000150.htm download
13.2K
00000151.htm download
12.9K
00000152.htm download
10.8K
00000155.htm download
12.2K
00000156.htm download
14.8K
00000157.htm download
13.9K
00000158.htm download
10.7K
00000159.htm download
12.3K
00000160.htm download
13.5K
00000161.htm download
12.7K
00000162.htm download
30.4K
00000163.htm download
12.7K
00000164.htm download
11.6K
00000165.htm download
13.1K
00000166.htm download
12.7K
00000167.htm download
12.0K
00000168.htm download
11.1K
00000169.htm download
12.7K
00000170.htm download
12.4K
00000171.htm download
12.5K
00000172.htm download
12.9K
00000173.htm download
12.5K
00000174.htm download
12.9K
00000175.htm download
12.8K
00000176.htm download
13.0K
00000177.htm download
11.8K
00000178.htm download
13.7K
00000179.htm download
14.1K
00000180.htm download
12.3K
00000181.htm download
11.0K
00000182.htm download
14.4K
00000183.htm download
11.2K
00000184.htm download
13.0K
00000185.htm download
10.4K
00000186.htm download
13.1K
00000187.htm download
11.3K
00000189.htm download
16.3K
00000190.htm download
12.7K
00000191.htm download
11.0K
00000192.htm download
13.0K
00000193.htm download
12.0K
00000194.htm download
12.8K
00000195.htm download
11.7K
00000196.htm download
15.6K
00000197.htm download
11.0K
00000198.htm download
13.1K
00000199.htm download
11.3K
00000200.htm download
11.3K
00000201.htm download
13.4K
00000202.htm download
11.0K
00000203.htm download
13.2K
00000204.htm download
14.6K
00000205.htm download
12.7K
00000206.htm download
12.6K
00000207.htm download
12.5K
00000208.htm download
12.1K
00000209.htm download
12.1K
00000210.htm download
10.4K
00000211.htm download
13.2K
00000212.htm download
11.1K
00000213.htm download
13.0K
00000214.htm download
11.2K
00000215.htm download
13.2K
00000216.htm download
11.6K
00000217.htm download
14.2K
00000218.htm download
11.6K
00000219.htm download
13.5K
00000220.htm download
12.5K
00000221.htm download
12.8K
00000222.htm download
11.8K
00000223.htm download
16.0K
00000224.htm download
14.8K
00000225.htm download
12.8K
00000226.htm download
13.7K
00000227.htm download
12.6K
00000228.htm download
17.5K
00000229.htm download
13.3K
00000230.htm download
10.9K
00000231.htm download
12.2K
00000232.htm download
10.9K
00000233.htm download
13.0K
00000234.htm download
11.3K
00000235.htm download
12.8K
00000236.htm download
15.0K
00000237.htm download
12.4K
00000238.htm download
10.8K
00000239.htm download
12.7K
00000240.htm download
17.9K
00000241.htm download
12.4K
00000242.htm download
11.2K
00000243.htm download
10.8K
00000244.htm download
13.2K
00000245.htm download
15.1K
00000246.htm download
12.4K
00000247.htm download
11.8K
00000248.htm download
11.6K
00000249.htm download
10.9K
00000250.htm download
13.2K
00000251.htm download
12.8K
00000252.htm download
13.2K
00000253.htm download
11.0K
00000254.htm download
12.8K
00000255.htm download
11.1K
00000256.htm download
13.1K
00000257.htm download
11.7K
00000258.htm download
13.1K
00000259.htm download
11.6K
00000260.htm download
13.2K
00000261.htm download
11.6K
00000262.htm download
14.8K
00000263.htm download
11.0K
00000264.htm download
12.6K
00000265.htm download
11.1K
00000266.htm download
12.7K
00000267.htm download
10.6K
00000268.htm download
14.8K
00000269.htm download
10.2K
00000270.htm download
12.5K
00000271.htm download
10.8K
00000272.htm download
16.6K
00000273.htm download
11.2K
00000274.htm download
12.7K
00000275.htm download
13.0K
00000276.htm download
12.7K
00000277.htm download
13.5K
00000278.htm download
12.4K
00000279.htm download
11.0K
00000280.htm download
12.6K
00000281.htm download
11.0K
00000282.htm download
14.3K
00000283.htm download
12.5K
00000284.htm download
12.5K
00000285.htm download
11.0K
00000286.htm download
12.2K
00000287.htm download
10.7K
00000288.htm download
12.7K
00000289.htm download
11.0K
00000290.htm download
12.7K
00000291.htm download
11.5K
00000292.htm download
12.8K
00000293.htm download
11.5K
00000294.htm download
14.4K
00000295.htm download
13.0K
00000297.htm download
10.6K
00000298.htm download
12.4K
00000299.htm download
10.6K
00000300.htm download
12.6K
00000301.htm download
10.8K
00000302.htm download
14.0K
00000303.htm download
15.1K
00000304.htm download
12.8K
00000305.htm download
11.3K
00000306.htm download
23.1K
00000307.htm download
11.0K
00000308.htm download
12.5K
00000309.htm download
13.7K
00000310.htm download
19.4K
00000311.htm download
10.7K
00000312.htm download
14.5K
00000313.htm download
10.6K
00000314.htm download
12.5K
00000315.htm download
10.7K
00000316.htm download
12.6K
00000317.htm download
11.1K
00000318.htm download
12.7K
00000319.htm download
10.9K
00000320.htm download
12.4K
00000321.htm download
11.1K
00000322.htm download
11.7K
00000323.htm download
11.7K
00000324.htm download
11.9K
00000325.htm download
17.7K
00000326.htm download
13.2K
00000327.htm download
13.6K
00000328.htm download
10.5K
00000329.htm download
12.3K
00000330.htm download
10.8K
00000331.htm download
16.1K
00000332.htm download
10.5K
00000333.htm download
12.2K
00000334.htm download
10.3K
00000335.htm download
13.5K
00000336.htm download
10.5K
00000337.htm download
12.6K
00000338.htm download
12.4K
00000339.htm download
13.0K
00000340.htm download
12.4K
00000341.htm download
13.4K
00000342.htm download
12.3K
00000343.htm download
10.9K
00000344.htm download
12.7K
00000345.htm download
13.1K
00000347.htm download
11.4K
00000348.htm download
12.7K
00000349.htm download
10.3K
00000350.htm download
12.7K
00000351.htm download
10.9K
00000352.htm download
10.8K
00000353.htm download
12.5K
00000354.htm download
11.1K
00000355.htm download
16.6K
00000356.htm download
11.6K
00000357.htm download
13.1K
00000358.htm download
10.9K
00000359.htm download
12.4K
00000360.htm download
10.6K
00000361.htm download
14.5K
00000362.htm download
12.6K
00000363.htm download
12.4K
00000364.htm download
10.9K
00000365.htm download
12.4K
00000366.htm download
10.5K
00000367.htm download
13.4K
00000368.htm download
15.0K
00000369.htm download
13.2K
00000370.htm download
12.1K
00000371.htm download
12.6K
00000372.htm download
12.4K
00000373.htm download
13.0K
00000374.htm download
12.4K
00000375.htm download
10.8K
00000376.htm download
13.4K
00000377.htm download
10.7K
00000378.htm download
16.9K
00000379.htm download
12.7K
00000380.htm download
12.9K
00000381.htm download
11.1K
00000382.htm download
13.5K
00000383.htm download
10.8K
00000384.htm download
18.1K
00000385.htm download
11.0K
00000386.htm download
13.2K
00000387.htm download
14.5K
00000388.htm download
12.3K
00000389.htm download
10.6K
00000390.htm download
12.2K
00000391.htm download
10.9K
00000392.htm download
12.3K
00000393.htm download
11.8K
00000394.htm download
13.6K
00000395.htm download
10.9K
00000396.htm download
13.3K
00000397.htm download
12.4K
00000398.htm download
12.9K
00000399.htm download
11.5K
00000400.htm download
11.1K
00000401.htm download
13.8K
00000402.htm download
12.8K
00000403.htm download
11.0K
00000404.htm download
12.7K
00000405.htm download
11.0K
00000406.htm download
13.0K
00000407.htm download
11.6K
00000408.htm download
12.7K
00000409.htm download
10.7K
00000410.htm download
12.7K
00000411.htm download
10.6K
00000412.htm download
11.5K
00000413.htm download
12.9K
00000414.htm download
12.8K
00000415.htm download
11.4K
00000416.htm download
12.7K
00000417.htm download
13.0K
00000418.htm download
11.6K
00000419.htm download
11.6K
00000420.htm download
14.8K
00000421.htm download
JPEG
Uplevel BACK
730.0B
00000003-1.jpg download
620.0B
00000003-2.jpg download
30.7K
00000044-1.jpg download
21.9K
00000054-1.jpg download
11.3K
00000065-1.jpg download
18.0K
00000104-1.jpg download
23.3K
00000190-1.jpg download
29.1K
00000211-1.jpg download
15.5K
00000229-1.jpg download
24.8K
00000241-1.jpg download
21.5K
00000264-1.jpg download
30.5K
00000296-1.jpg download
14.8K
00000303-1.jpg download
18.9K
00000304-1.jpg download
496.0B
00000307-1.jpg download
12.9K
00000310-1.jpg download
10.0K
00000311-1.jpg download
721.0B
00000421-1.jpg download
557.0B
00000421-2.jpg download
RICH TEXT FORMAT
Uplevel BACK
10.8K
00000004.rtf download
334.5K
00000044.rtf download
105.5K
00000054.rtf download
85.9K
00000065.rtf download
83.4K
00000104.rtf download
12.9K
00000163.rtf download
120.9K
00000190.rtf download
286.1K
00000211.rtf download
142.6K
00000229.rtf download
237.2K
00000241.rtf download
135.4K
00000264.rtf download
268.7K
00000296.rtf download
96.2K
00000303.rtf download
197.8K
00000304.rtf download
69.8K
00000310.rtf download
54.0K
00000311.rtf download
TEXT
Uplevel BACK
117.0B
00000001.txt download
86.0B
00000003.txt download
441.0B
00000005.txt download
513.0B
00000006.txt download
985.0B
00000007.txt download
427.0B
00000031.txt download
136.0B
00000044.txt download
471.0B
00000051.txt download
631.0B
00000054.txt download
671.0B
00000065.txt download
919.0B
00000104.txt download